Island of Okinoshima

Yesterday, Mrs. M and I went to Takashimaya,
Nihonbashi store, 日本橋高島屋.

We enjoyed
the photographic exhibition
“Island of Okinoshima”
by Shinya Fujiwara　藤原新也.

On July 9, “Sacred Island of Okinoshima and
Associated Sites in the Munakata Region”
was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The exhibition hall on the 8th floor was crowded
and all people there seemed to be overwhelmed
by something sacred.

The “Island of Okinoshima” itself is said to be
ご神体.

I am moved by 藤原新也’s photographs
which express how sacred “Island of Okinoshima” is.

It was a wonderful Saturday
for Mrs. M and me.
Thank you so much, Mrs. M.

to a beauty salon

Last Saturday I went to a beauty salon
and had my hair cut and dyed.

To tell the truth, I have never dyed my hair myself.

I am a terribly clumsy person.

I usually go to my hairdresser's once a month.

I sometimes wonder how long I'll be able to go
to my hairdresser's.

---------------

My hair dresser's daughter is 村上茉愛, Mai Murakami.

I call her Mai-chan.

She won 体操全日本個人総合選手権
on April 9 this year.

She is decided to take part in
2017第47回体操世界選手権大会.

It's going to be held
in Canada in October.

Do your best, Mai-chan!
Good luck to you!

The young lady in the frame is Mai-chan.

today's song, Danny Boy

Do you know the song Danny Boy?
Danny Boy is one of my favorite songs.

Early this morning, I happened to hear someone
talking about Danny Boy on the radio.

Oh, how I wish I could go back
to my younger days
when I enjoyed singing the song
with my dear friends!

Today I was always singing the song and was steeped
in my good old memories.

------------------

Oh Danny Boy the pipes, the pipes are calling,
From glen to glen and down the mountain side
The summer's gone and all the roses falling
T'is you, ti's you must go and I must bide

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
T is I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny Boy, O, Danny Boy, I miss you so

Friday English Class

It has been terribly hot all over Japan.

I'm surprised the temperature in some areas
in Hokkaido often reaches as high as over 35℃.

We all live in abnormal weather conditions.

Yesterday morning I walked in the sun
about 15 minutes and went to the nearest Kominkan
to attend ‘Friday English Class.’

I felt a stifling heat while walking.

4 out of 9 members were absent from class yesterday.

We had a small class---yes, a private lesson.

First we had an easy grammar lesson in English.

Our American teacher explained to us the difference
between “It's” and “Its” by giving several sentences.

After that each of us wrote sentences using “It's” and “Its”
in them.

We wrote our sentences on the blackboard one by one
and our teacher corrected them.

She is a very good teacher.

(my sentence as a memo)
It's been a long time since I lost my appetite.
So I don't like to go to a restaurant, nor do I
like to read its menu.

Lastly we enjoyed doing a crossword puzzle in English.

I had a good time
in Friday English Class
but I was completely exhausted
by blazing heat
when I got home around noon.

Are we really in the rainy season?

record-breaking downpour in Kyushu

It's the 6th day since the torrential downpour
in northern Kyushu.

It has been still raining heavily since July 5th.

The record-braking downpour has caused
a lot of damages or misfortunes on a number of people
in Fukuoka and Oita.

More than 20 people became victims
to the natural disasters.

Many are reported still missing.

Several areas are isolated due to landslides or flooding.

About 1400 people are forced to live in evacuation sites.

They are enduring all sorts of distress, I think.

I don't know how to express my sympathy.

If I were much younger,
I would go to them
and work as a volunteer for them!

I pray they are strong
enough to survive this difficulty.

I was thinking of them when I was walking
to my daughter's house this morning.